One Cold Evening
by salamanstrom
Summary: One-shot. Sai decides to walk to Konoha one night. However, the road to town might have a few truths that Sai might not be ready for yet.


Hey everyone. I'm back in the US and thought I'd upload this story that I wrote a while ago. I haven't been posting much since college has got me occupied. However, I hope to get back to this when I can. This is just a little story that came to me one night. Actually, it's more of a teaser than anything else. Anyway, I hope you enjoy it.

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Small lines of precipitation were visible through yellow glow of the streetlamps that lined the roads of Konoha. The roads were well shoveled and only contained a light layer of snow, having been collected throughout the day, but stamped out by the multitudes of people walking to and fro across the Village. Along the road, forcing his way through the chilly night air, Sai continued down the village streets. It was times like these that made him question his fashion sense, particularly his midriff. Walking through the cold, Sai hugged himself and looked down toward the upcoming building that he would soon approach.

Despite the biting cold, the buildings of Konoha seemed surprisingly inviting. From the lights that brightened up the city streets to the faint voices of laughter, Sai's continual fake smile slowly transformed into a small real one.

Stepping into the brightly lit road, Sai looked back at his trail of footprints. The footprints trailed back into the dimly lit streets and even farther into the dark road that led into the forest. Sai smiled softly and turned his head back forward, toward the bright Village that lay before him as well as the future that subconsciously invited him to enter with bright smiles. Sai embraced the feeling that came over him and marched happily into the light.

Upon finding himself in the hustle and bustle of Konoha's evening life, Sai looked around for a familiar face, any familiar face that he would be able to join for any activity. Scanning across the large number of people that moved across and along the streets to visit the markets, shops, and restaurants that had decided to stay open in the early evening, Sai eventually spotted a spot of blond hair next to another spot of pink hair.

Sai's eyes lit up as he began to see Naruto and Sakura coming toward him. He lifted up his hand to say hello, when he noticed someone else standing with the two. Along with Naruto and Sakura, a boy their age, dressed in black walked, smirking as the other two barraged him with memories he had missed and other events that had transpired during his absence.

"So anyway Sasuke!" said a cheerful Naruto with a large smile on his face, "that's when I used the Rasenshuriken to beat Kakuzu!"

Sasuke nodded. "I know…I saw the move…"

"Oh…" said Naruto, a little embarrassed, "well, how about the time I defeated Pain!"

"Well…" said Sasuke, "I kind of know about that too…seeing as we're here at the village right now…"

"Oh yeah…" said Naruto, "you know, I thought we'd have to fill you in on a bunch of things ever since you left, but you already know about it all!"

Sasuke shrugged. "I mean. I know about all of your fights, seeing as I was usually on the other end of it all…"

Naruto thought about that for a moment. "Oh yeah…"

"Alright boys," laughed Sakura, "how about some dinner?"

Naruto and Sasuke stopped for a second and shrugged. "I guess…" said the two of them in unison.

Sakura giggled a little, coving her mouth with her hand.

"So what do you guys want?" asked Sakura with a smile.

"Ramen!" exclaimed Naruto.

"Whatever…" said Sasuke.

Sakura gave an annoyed look. "No Naruto! We're not getting ramen again! We've been going there every night this week!"

"But it's so good!" said Naruto.

Sakura shook her head. "Sasuke…you haven't been in the village for a long time. Isn't there anything you really want to eat besides ramen?"

Sasuke shrugged. "Not really…"

Sakura rolled her eyes and took a deep sigh. "Okay…then, if we must…we'll get ramen…"

Naruto jumped in the air in excitement. "Alright!" he exclaimed. He put an arm around Sakura and Sasuke…well…he put an arm around Sakura and put his nub around Sasuke.

"Team 7 is back again!"

Naruto's energetic personality, while annoying sometimes, made Sakura and Sasuke smile as nostalgia filled them walking down the street toward Ichiraku Ramen."

"Well…" Sakura qualified, as the three of them walked down the road, "Team 7 minus Kakashi."

The three of them laughed as they walked down the road, chatting about anything they could. As they walked down the brightly lit road, they disappeared around the corner.

Sai looked over the crowd, watching them leave. He smiled a bit as he watched them walk, seeing them together, hearing them talk, watching them laugh. By watching them, Sai began to wonder what it would have been like to grow up with them, being with them as they started their first missions together and just being with them when they got into all of their misadventures in the village.

Turning back towards the way he came, Sai looked toward the dimly lit part of Konoha, and deeper into the woods. Looking at the road, his smile faded as he saw the place where his footsteps had begun to disappear into the darkness.

"I guess I won't disturb them," Sai said to himself. "They probably want to spend a little more time together as…Team 7…the _real_ Team 7…"

Sai walked back toward the darkness, following the footprints he had made while coming into the village center. Loneliness suddenly engulfed him, forcing him to stop dead in his tracks. Having suddenly stooped, he looked back and a tear manifested in his eyes.

"I guess it was…too good to be true."

He spoke under his breath, careful not to let anyone hear him. Then, without saying a word, he continued walking toward his home on the far edges of Konoha.

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Well, I hope you enjoyed it. I had an idea for continuation but it probably won't be continued. Let me know if you'd like to adopt this story!


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